Machine for finishing curved stereotype plates



C. E. HOPKINS MACHINE FOR FINISHING GURVED STEREOTYPE PLATES OriginalFiled Feb 14, 1917 B Sheets-Sheet 1 Chqrhs E. Hopkins IDZM 5% Dec. 13,1927. i,652,717

C. E. HOPKINS MACHINE POI? FINISHING CURVED STEREOTYPE PLATES OriginalFiled Feb. 14. 1917 asheetsl-sheet 3 'IIIIIIIIIIIIl/l '71, I4'IIIIIIIIII A I gvwawtoz Chad E .Ho k'm Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY; TI-IE PLAINFIELD TRUSTCOM- PANY ADMINISTRATOR 0F SAID CHARLES E. HOPKINS, DECEASED.

M ACHINE FOR FINISHING CURVED STEREOTYPE PLATES.

Original application filed February 14, 1917, Serial No. 148,523.Divided and this application filed September 25, 1922.

This is a division of my Patent No. 1,433,- 550, granted October 31,1922, on an application originally filed Feb. 1 1, 1917, Ser. No.148,523.

This invention relates to a machine for finishing curved stereotypeplates, for use on the cylinders of rotary web printing presses. It isdesigned on simplified lines, and the principal features of theinvention are: the combination of a bracket with the knife shaft drivinggear; means for axial adjustment of the saw bracket in relation with theshaving knife shaft; means operative with the shaving. knife shaft forstarting and stopping the mechanism, and simplified means for elevatingand locking a stereotype plate in the finishing arch.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing astereotype plate supported in alignment with plate guideways on thefinishing mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine, a portion of the gearing is brokenaway to better illustrate; V

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking toward thefinishing mechanism;

Fig. t is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 2 with the parts in theposition in which the riser is starting to descend;

Fig. 5 is a front end view, part of the gearing being broken away tobetter illustrate;

Fig. 6 shows a fragment of the knife shaft driving gear and illustrateshow the saw bracket can be moved toward or away from the axis of theknife shaft, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig. 6.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine supported betweenside frames 11 and 12.

After delivering the stereotype plate in horizontal position, theoperator pushes the stereotype plate P forwardand along on a pair ofguideway brackets and 80, and into position beneath the shaving arch 81of the finishing mechanism.

A positioning stop or ledge p is formed within the riser portion of eachstereotype plate by a recess, made across the apex of the core. Thisledge p engages against an adjustable stop 77, when the plate is shovedSerial No. 590,2 74.

into the finishing mechanism and positions the plate longitudinallytherein.

The co-acting finishing mechanism, for truing out the interior surfaceof a series of ribs cast beneath the type portion and separating theriser from the said type portion of the stereotype plate, is located infront of the casting mechanism. The stereotype plate finishing andsupporting arch 81 is mounted between the side frames 11 and 12, and inalignment with the stereotype plate gui 1eways 80 and 80, previouslyreferred to. The finishing arch 81 is of a curvature equal to that ofthe stereotype plate and is raised on the front side a little above theaxis of a plate when delivered from the casting mechanism.

The plate is raised on the front side until firmly positioned againstthe concavity of the arch by a plate elevator. The opposite side of theplate is supported by a bar 88, fast to the side edge of the arch, andin align ment with the guideway 80. The plate elevator comprises a platesupporting bar 89, which is aligned with the guideway 80*, when in thelowered position. This supporting bar 89 is fast to a pair of brackets90- 90 which are fast on vertically disposed rods 9191. These rodsoperate in brackets 92 92, fast to the front side frame 11, and inbearings 93-93, formed in the extending foot of the finishing arch. Thebottom end of each rod 91 is provided with an'antifriction roller 94,which operates on eccentric face cams 95 made fast on a rock shaft 96located in brackets 97-97, fast on the front side frame 11. To the rearend of this rock shaft is fixed an operating lever 98, for raising theelevator to clamp a stereotype plate against the concave face of thearch, while the finishing tools, consisting of a shaving knife and aplanetary operating saw, shave and trim the aforesaid stereotype plate.

The shaving operation is accomplished by a knife 82 fast on a hollowknife shaft 83, which is axially aligned with the finishing arch 81 andsupported in bearings 84 and 86, formed on cross frames 85 and 87. Thisknife shaft is driven through one revolution during each cycle ofoperations by a chain of reducing gears comprising a large gear 100,fast on the knife shaft near the forward bearing 86. The gear 100 isdriven by a pinion gear 101, fast on the rear end of a short shaft 102,located in a bearing in the front cross frame 87. In front of thisbearing, and on the short shaft 102, is fast a large gear 104 which isdriven by a pinion 105 fast on the driving shaft 106. The gears 10 1 and105 are protected by a gear cover 107 in which are bearings for theirshafts, and is made fast to the end frame 87.

The trimming mechanism for separating the riser and beveling that edgeof the plate is mounted on the knife shaft gear ,100, and revolves withthe knife shaft but around the periphery of a stereotype plate, whereasthe knife revolves in itsconcavity. This mechanism comprises a planetaryoperating cutter orsaw 110 fast to the rear end of a saw spindle 111.This operates in bearings formed in a segmental saw bracket 112, whichis bolted to the rear side of the shaving knife gear 100. The forwardendof the saw spindle 111 passes through an elongated opening inthe body ofthe gear 100.

l The trimming saw 110 is driven at a high rate of speed by a chain ofgears consisting of a small pinion 113 fast on the forward end of thesawspindle whichmeshes with a pinion 11 1 mounted on a stud fast in theface of the shaving knife gear 100. This pinion 111 is driven by alarger gear 115, mounted loosely on the knife shaft between its gear 100and its. forward bearing 86. This gear 115 is driven by a large gear 116fast on the rear end ofthe'driving shaft 106.

In operation the saw is drivenat a high rate of speed and simultaneouslyrevolved aboutthe periphery of the riser portion of a stereotype plate,locked within the finishing. arch. During this operation the sawseparates the riser from the type portion of the plate and the shavingknife trues off the ribs cast beneath the type face portion, As the sawis revolving over and cutting off the riser from the type portion of thestereotype plate a riser'siuoport 120, fast on the knife shaft beneaththe riser, revolves up under the riser and holds it up. And at the sametime the concave saw bracket 112 is passing over the outside of theriser. At the rear end of the concave saw bracket 112 is a pi.v oteddoor 122, the loose end of which engages on and is drawn over the faceof the riser until the saw has completed its separating operation,whereupon the riser begins to travel along with its support 120. As therevolution continues the riser is carried down and hasa tendency toslide ahead on its support, but is instantly checked by we'dging betweenthe pivoted door 122 and the riser support 120. But on the doors pivotpassing the horizontal line it is over-balanced, and the riser andsawdust held in the concavity ofthe saw bracket fall away from themechanism.

The finishing tools and co-acting movable parts are driven by a belt130, alternating'between a tight and loose pulley 131 and 132, which aremounted on the forward end of the driving shaft 106. The shifting of thedriving belt is accomplished by an automatic belt shifter 133, which iscontrolled by a hand operated trip. The belt shifter 133 is fast to thebottom end of a vertical pivot shaft located in a bracket 134. To thetop end of this pivot shaft, an'd'above the bracket bearing, is fast atrip arm 135, which is engaged by a right angular extension 136, of atrip rod 137, aXially located in the hollow of the shaving knife shaft83, and slidingly operative in bearings formed in each end of the hollowknife shaft. 2

The rear end of the trip rod 137 is provided witha grooved collar 138,in which are positioned projections on a pivoted yoke 139, made fast ona cross rock shaft 140, operative in hearings in the side frames 11 and12. An operating lever 111 is fast on the rock shaft 110 near itsbearing in side frame 11. By swinging the operating lever 14:1 to therear the right angular extension 136 of the trip rod 137 is drawn backfrom in front of the trip arm 135 of the belt shifter which actionallows the belt shifter to be drawn in by a spring 1 12, and move thebelt from the loose pulley 132 to the right or'operative pulley 131.This action starts the mechanism through its cycle of operations, and asit nears the end of the cycle the trip rod angular extension 136, whichhas been pushed forward by a spring 143, mounted on the rod 137, locatedin the hollow of the knife shaft, is revolved into position in front ofthe trip arm 135. As the revolving movement continues the right angularextension 136 engagesand forces the belt shifter to move the belt backto the pulley, against the action of the belt shifter spring 1 12.

Simultaneously with the return of the belt to the loose pulley, a brakeshoe 14% attached to a short arm 145 formed on the belt shifter 133, is,drawn into engagement with the face of the tight pulley and instantlystops the operations. 7 l

To prevent the accidental starting of the finishing mechanism before theplate is elevated into operative position there is provided a step 146formed on the lower end of the starting lever 111, which engages-againsta cam plate 147 formed on the hub of tl e plate elevator operating lever98. On elevating the plate lifter this cam plate turns out of the wayand allows the stop 146 on the starting lever to pass.

After the stereotype plate has been finished by being shaved andtrimmed, the operator lowers the elevator and draws the finishedstereotype plate back and out of the arch onto the guideways and 80 andremoves it by hand.

Although. I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention, yet I am aware of the fact that many modifications can bemade therein without departing from the scope of the invention asexpressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to allthe details of construction herein shown and described, but what I doclaim 1. I11 a curved stereotype plate finishing machine, a platesupporting arch fast on a framing, a knife shaft operative in bearingsformed in said framing, a gear fast on the knife shaft within theframing, a circular beveling saw bodily movable with the aforesaid gear,and connections for simultaneously revolving the knife shaft and saw forthe purpose set forth.

2. In a curved stereotype plate finishing machine, a plate supportingarch, co-acting finishing tools, means for operating said tools, adriving shaft having tight and loose belt pulleys, and means forclamping a stereotype plate up into the dome of the arch andsimultaneously shifting the belt from the loose to the tight pulley andthereafter reversing the operation.

3. In a stereotype plate finishing machine,

a driving shaft, a small and large gear fast thereon, a second shaft, alarge and small gear fast on the second shaft and arranged to mesh withthe aforesaid gears, a third shaft, a small gear and a large gear fasttogether, loose on the third shaft and arranged to mesh with theiropposing gears on the second shaft, a small gear operating in bearingsattached to this last named large gear and arranged to mesh with thelast named small one, and means for operating the same for the purposeset forth.

4.. In a curved stereotype finishing machine, a hollow finishing toolcarrying shaft,

a trip rod operative therein, a belt shifter for starting the machine, atrip arm normal- 1y held by the trip rod in position to stop themachine, a spring for operating the belt shifter, and means foroperating said rod for the purpose of withdrawing it from the trip armand leaving the spring free to operate the belt shifter.

5. In a curved stereotype plate finishing machine, an arch, a shavingknife axially aligned beneath the arch, fixed means attached to one sideof the arch for support-- ing a curved stereotype plate, and movablemeans operative in the opposite side of the arch for raising the saidplate up into the arch dome.

6. In a curved stereotype plate finishing machine, an arch, a shavingknife axially aligned beneath the arch, fixed means attached toone sideof the arch for supporting a curved stereotype plate, movable meansoperative in the opposite side of the arch for raising the said plate upinto the arch dome, and means actuated by said movable means whereby themachine cannot be started except when the plate is lifted into the arch.

7. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with an archfor receiving the plate to be finished, of means for moving the plateinto the arch in position to be finished, and means actuated by saidplate moving means whereby the machine cannot be started except when theplate is lifted into the arch.

8. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with an archfor receiving the plate to be finished, of means for moving the plateinto the arch in position to be finished, comprising a rock shaft, anoperat ing arm on the rock shaft, cams on the rock shaft, rodsreciprocable by the cams, and a plate supporting bar in position to bemoved by said rods.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS.

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